Scouting report: vs. Bobcats

1. Going to Cats inside: The Bobcats dramatically upgraded their frontcourt with the addition of Al Jefferson at center and 7-footer Cody Zeller at power forward. They needed the help. They ranked last in the NBA in shooting percentage from 5 feet and in. Jefferson, however, is questionable with a sprained ankle.

2. Points come in pairs (or 3s): Both teams will rotate point guards, with the Rockets starting Pat Beverley’s defense on Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lin and Ben Gordon coming off the bench at both guard spots. Both teams likely will play both point guards together.

3. New guy redux?: Dwight Howard will have a tough time matching James Harden’s Rockets debut. Last season, Harden had the greatest debut ever by a Rockets player, scoring 37 points on 14-of-25 shooting, with 12 assists, six rebounds and four steals in a 105-96 win at Detroit.